Tika t3 v Remington 700

[whitehackle]

After a stalking rifle in .308 calibre

Tika t3 lite or Remington 700 sps both new remmy is slightly cheaper both synthetic stock.

[bullet boy]

Never had a Remington SPS but all I can say is I love my Tikka T3 Lite.

The T3 Lite is a superb gun with super smooth cycling of the bolt plus an external magazine.Im sure the Remington is a good rifle also.

ATB in whichever one you choose.

[besty57]

i had the same dilemma as you.after handling them both i went with the 700 sps in 308. but I went the26" barrel route ,as im just using it for range work at the min, it just felt a better fit,i only picked it up on Thursday so havnt fired it yet.i will on sunday.i have to say im happy with my choice .but what ever you decide there both good rifles.

alan

[tikka.223]

I'm the same as bullet boy,I have a T3 varmint and a T3 stainless lite both great guns and recommend them very highly.

I haven't had a Remington but have shot and handle a few.

You should maybe also think about a CZ which is another cracking rifle.

[Underdog]

The T3 has a much better trigger, the most you would ever need to do with the Tikka trigger is change the adjuster spring.

The Remmy needs a total strip and stoning. Last one I did took six hours or buy a new one.

 

Remington have had some QC control issues lately but their barrel still seem good.

 

Tikka are made very straight! Usually a centered scope is only a click or two from zero.

 

That aside I don't like the silky smooth bolt of a Tikka and prefere the Remmy's action!

 

U.

[Redgum]

The Tikka wins hands down in my book. My first 243 was a new sps remmy 700, eventually got it to shoot ok, replaced stock for a hogue, replaced trigger with timney ( Triggers used to be adjustable but now sealed with sealer from hell), had it shortened to 20inch. The barrel isnt the same quality as the Tikka which is based on match barrel quality. Now have Tikkas in both 243 and 308, quality barrel, even basic stocks are way better than sps, very smooth bolt and an easy to adjust crisp trigger. Tikkas may be more expensive to buy but you get much more for your money than Remington, sad but true.

[maddog546]

Im with Redgum,had nothing more than trouble with 2 700 SPS,changed to T3 lite and now have a standard T3aswell, and wont be going back the guns arnt even in the same league for quality.

[Dekers]

Everyone will have an opinion, and I did as well until I got my .308 700SPS Stainless.

 

It deliveres 1" with PRVI 150g SP and is out of the box other than 3 inches removed from barrel, Standard X Mark Pro trigger.

 

Don't like the Floor plate (that's just personal, many do), trigger isn't quite as good as the Tikka, but you would be hard pressed to tell.

 

Mine is for Boar, and Distance target, and now and again the large deer, it does all very competently!

 

 

As you can see I run a couple of Tikkas as well. By way of performance reliability accuracy etc there is nothing in it between them.

 

[reggiegun]

Everyone will have an opinion, and I did as well until I got my .308 700SPS Stainless.

 

It deliveres 1" with PRVI 150g SP and is out of the box other than 3 inches removed from barrel, Standard X Mark Pro trigger.

 

Don't like the Floor plate (that's just personal, many do), trigger isn't quite as good as the Tikka, but you would be hard pressed to tell.

 

Mine is for Boar, and Distance target, and now and again the large deer, it does all very competently!

 

CentrefireGroupx.jpg

 

As you can see I run a couple of Tikkas as well. By way of performance reliability accuracy etc there is nothing in it between them.

Deckers,

 

What are the scopes mate, seems you like them. They look like JS Ramsbottom ones.

 

Reggiegun

[Redgum]

Is the X mark pro trigger adjustable Dekers, the trigger on my sps was basically the same as the old triggers with pull,wieght and sear adjustment totally glupped up with arny type super loc tight. Couldnt move any of the screws even with loads of heat and it was set around 6lbs. Stock was rubbish. Quality isnt what it was fifteen years ago, Remington have cut back in the wrong areas to make their rifles competitive price wise. Tikka have done some cut backs in quality with the T3's but they have done it without affecting shootability and accuracy.Buying a Remington will save a few quid but will be a real lottery on quality, spend a bit extra and you will be happy. I was once a Remington fan, not anymore.

[Scully]

Had a 700 BDL in .243 and now have a T3 in the same calibre.As much as I liked the Remi' (think the BDL is one of the nicest looking rifles ever made) and despite it shooting like a dream once I found the right bullet weight, the floor-plate got on my wick and I begrudged paying over the odds for the box magazine conversion,so when I found the T3 at a game show I just had to have it.Have no regrets.

[hunter87]

More aftermarket / upgrade parts for the 700 so that would be my choice

[magman]

More aftermarket / upgrade parts for the 700 so that would be my choice

but most buy a gun to shoot it not replace parts out the box ?

[Beretta28g]

Tikka T3 hands down

[Dekers]

Is the X mark pro trigger adjustable Dekers, the trigger on my sps was basically the same as the old triggers with pull,wieght and sear adjustment totally glupped up with arny type super loc tight. Couldnt move any of the screws even with loads of heat and it was set around 6lbs. Stock was rubbish. Quality isnt what it was fifteen years ago, Remington have cut back in the wrong areas to make their rifles competitive price wise. Tikka have done some cut backs in quality with the T3's but they have done it without affecting shootability and accuracy.Buying a Remington will save a few quid but will be a real lottery on quality, spend a bit extra and you will be happy. I was once a Remington fan, not anymore.

 

I think the X Mark Pro is common now on the Remington, their old triggers were not great.

 

It is adjustable and a great improvement on the old, my 700 SPS is about 5 or 6 years old and when I got it they were not common.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Dekers

[Dekers]

Deckers,

 

What are the scopes mate, seems you like them. They look like JS Ramsbottom ones.

 

Reggiegun

 

They are, one has now changed, but, despite what you may hear from some, these have prooved excellent, to the extent the T3 Lite put a 10 shot string down and made 8 V Bulls and 2 Bulls at Bisley 600 yards with a new shooter, development ammo and cold! (and the shooter put the blame on himself for only making the 2 Bulls!)...and that shooter is a member of this forum.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Dekers

[Dekers]

My 2 x Tikkas came before the Remington and I had been told by many that a Remington was rubbish in comparison and I should stick with Tikka, I probably would have but I couldn't get the T3 I wanted in .308 and was facing months of wait from GMK.

 

So, it was the 700, and I have not found it lacking, the only part I don't like about the Rem, as I sad earlier, is the Floor Plate, but that isn't a fault and it works.

 

The Rem SPS stock isn't great, but neither is the T3 Lite stock, just the same mine BOTH work fine. No question the stock on the T3 Hunter is the best of my centrefires.

 

I guess somewhere along the line I may have got lucky, because not only do all my rifles shoot well, but all my centrefires also shoot well with PRVI!

 

Many complain about the Remington, not the ones that have shot mine, and as I said earlier as well, mine is out of the box with about 3 inches cut off the barrel and that's it!

Edited April 13, 2013 by Dekers

[coyotemaster]

At one time the 700 was probably one of the most accurate well made rifles out of the box. When first introduced and up until the Mid 90s? .5 out of the box with good reloads was pretty common.I have had a few with excellent triggers.

 

Fast forward 2000s and corporate buy outs Remington's quality is not what it once was. Cheap stocks and cheap triggers are not conducive to good accuracy.

 

I would give the Tikka or the CZ a try first.

[Underdog]

The new Remmy trigger is not adjustable as in it won't adjust to an acceptable degree!

 

All you can do is take it apart and stone it. I got mine to 1&1/2 lbs on the standard springs and it broke like a little glass rod.

 

Your advised to retain the standard springs for saftey and do not sacrifice full sear engagement (like you could on the old trigger unit)!

 

U.

[Dekers]

The new Remmy trigger is not adjustable as in it won't adjust to an acceptable degree!

 

All you can do is take it apart and stone it. I got mine to 1&1/2 lbs on the standard springs and it broke like a little glass rod.

 

Your advised to retain the standard springs for saftey and do not sacrifice full sear engagement (like you could on the old trigger unit)!

 

U.

 

So it is adjustable but not as much as YOU wanted!

 

The X Mark Pro trigger is user adjustable down to about 1.5lb (and VERY easy on the latest version), inevitable a bit of fettling will make it all the better on a NEW trigger (whats different to almost any NEW factory trigger from any manufacturer) and replacement spring can bring it down lower if 1.5lb doesn't work for you.

 

For the field 1.5-2lb is fine for me, but obviously for any serious target work you may want to bring that down, but if you are that serious about target you have probably thrown away most of your Remington and replaced it anyway!

 

Mine works just fine and will be getting an outing at Bisley this afternoon!

Edited April 14, 2013 by Dekers

[al4x]

Why bother mucking about with the existing trigger, if you don't like it just swap it for a decent one, the thing with the 700's is after market parts are the most available. I likes mine in .223 and though it had a rifle basix trigger and hogue stock they were done before I got it. Killed a lot of foxes with it till I sold it to a mate and it still does sub inch groups at 200 yards as he showed yesterday.

[Dekers]

Why bother mucking about with the existing trigger, if you don't like it just swap it for a decent one, the thing with the 700's is after market parts are the most available. I likes mine in .223 and though it had a rifle basix trigger and hogue stock they were done before I got it. Killed a lot of foxes with it till I sold it to a mate and it still does sub inch groups at 200 yards as he showed yesterday.

 

 

There is always that, I am not for one second suggesting the X Mark Pro is the finest trigger in the world, it most certainly isn't.

 

But it is VERY easy to adjust (the latest version) and will be fine for the majority in the field!

Edited April 14, 2013 by Dekers

[reggiegun]

They are, one has now changed, but, despite what you may hear from some, these have prooved excellent, to the extent the T3 Lite put a 10 shot string down and made 8 V Bulls and 2 Bulls at Bisley 600 yards with a new shooter, development ammo and cold! (and the shooter put the blame on himself for only making the 2 Bulls!)...and that shooter is a member of this forum.

 

I have had one on my 22lr, worked fine for ages but then just would not keep zero. Good scope for the money, I could of just bought another and still saved money.

 

Rerggiegun

[Glenshooter]

I love my T3. Accurate and nice to use. I don't like the Rem 700s I've used - agricultural in comparison, IMHO. But at the target end, doubt there's much in it.

[Rem223]

I like the Remington 700. I have a couple of them. However, having worked in a large gunshop which stocked both Remington and Tikka. I found in our stock several Remingtons which had unacceptable faults from the factory. One with a muzzle that looked like it had a bullet get stuck so that it bulged out, another with a bolt that couldn't be cocked. These should never have passed quality control. I never found any Tiikkas with problems. The factory stock on the SPS is not as good in my view as a Tikka and if it was my cash I would take the Tikka every time. Unless you are the kind of person who likes buying new parts to replace the factory bits the Tikka makes more sense..